


Life is a Beautiful Thing

by exiledOptimism



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Midnight Crew - Freeform, Stabdads
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-04-11 22:23:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4454651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exiledOptimism/pseuds/exiledOptimism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tale of raising Aradia Megido, a stabdads story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Child

Of course, things went on. They never stopped. They didn't stop for the quiet laughter, they didn't stop for the empty feeling as life drained from a corpse.

Nothing ever stopped.

Not in Diamonds Droog's realm, not anywhere else. That said, he gazed down at the little basket on the doorstep of his home. Inside, an infant with rusty eyes and dark hair lay. He could shut the door, but he thought a moment. Slick was always talking about his kid, and Deuce always seemed so proud of Sollux's development. 

After a second of thought, Droog reached down and picked the child up out of the basket. No note like in movies, thankfully. Just legal papers, like the child's birth certificate lay beneath. A slight smile graced his lips as he picked them up too and cradled the child. He walked back inside, closing and locking the door before he sat down andbegan looking at the papers. Healthy child, it seemed, a little girl by the name of Aradia Megido. 

She let out a quiet baby sound, and he looked at her. He needed to get her some diapers, definitely, and clothes. She would have to have clothes. And baby supplies. A car seat. 

All of a sudden, raising a kid seemed like a big task. He set the papers aside and stood up, looking at the girl who stared back. Well...

She was behaving better than Karkat already. He offered her a finger, which she wrapped her little hand around. He'd find out in a few years if she turned out okay.


	2. Year Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This whole parenting thing was a tad bit easier than he thought. Aradia was an excellent child.

He'd survived these two years. He'd never been happier, Aradia was a happy child. She rarely cried. She was learning to talk and she was walking. "Daddy!" She called out from her place on the floor. He was sitting on that same sofa he'd been on with her two years ago. A jazz record played from the antique player across the room as the toddler played with her little dolls.

"Yes, Aradia?"

"Why can't my dolls have suits like you?"

He smiled. She said a new word. Good. Droog let out a soft chuckle. "They can, we just have to get them."

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry!"

He sighed, closing his newspaper and standing up. It was around lunch time anyway. "What'd you like to eat, Aradia?"

The girl abandoned her toys and stood up, rushing over to her father with arms up. He picked her up, holding her on his hip as he began the trip to the kitchen. Her little gray skirt shifted, black and rust colored shirt straightened perfectly. 

Once in the kitchen, he set her down and made his way to get a plate. Meanwhile, the girl dragged a chair to the freezer and pulled it open to push the chair up and stand on it, pulling down some microwavable chicken nuggets. She stepped down and moved the chair back before closing the fridge, dashing over to her father to hold them up to him.

Yeah, he quite enjoyed spending time with Aradia. She was a great kid.


	3. Year Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This school year would be longer for Diamonds Droog than it would for Aradia.

She had the most beautiful brown eyes. He could never deny that. She looked like him despite not being his with her long dark hair and flawless pale skin. She was perfect. A bright girl with a positive outlook on her life. He was proud of that.

Now, though, was school orientation. He stood behind his daughter, face expressionless. The teacher rambled about class rules and the like, grading and all. He didn't want to hear this bullshit, though he supposed it was important to Aradia's education. After a short while, he yawned and smiled at his daughter. 

The teacher asked if anyone had any questions. Nobody said a word.

He'd noticed a special someone lurking in the front of the room. Someone called Snowman to be specific.

This concerned him.

The kids moved about to talk and mingle, as Snowman approached him.

Shit.

This was gonna be a long year for him, he could already see it.


	4. After School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diamonds Droog is happy with his daughter, but no so much with Snowman or the Crew's children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, after forever. Done. Finished. A new chapter. This one'll be done soon, I promise.

Diamonds Droog stepped out of his black car, casting the green one across the road a glare. Why would they put Aradia in the same class as _her_ kids? Of all people,  _hers_! The girl was sitting with a boy, Boxcars' boy, and chatting nonchalantly. He flicked through the four laminated signs as he walked up to a teacher, offering them out. The lady turned to call for Sollux, Aradia, Karkat and Tavros.

 

The children hurried over and Aradia wrapped her arms around her father. Droog waved to the teacher and led the group of kids off. 

 

"Aradia's in the front. Karkat in the back first, then Tavros, then Sollux," Droog said sternly as the children piled into the vehicle. He slipped in on the driver's side and waited for the children to buckle themselves in. "Is everyone ready to go?"

 

"Yes, Daddy!" Aradia cheered with a loving grin. 

 

"Let's just go," Karkat mumbled.

 

"Yessir!" Tavros chirped.

 

"Yeth, Mithter Droog," lisped Sollux.

 

Droog started the car, but not before a lady walked ahead of them, flipping a slender finger up. Particularly, her middle finger. He glared as Snowman strutted past with the two girls, neglecting to get the children belonging to the rest of the Felt. Chances were, Crowbar would do that. Droog had to acknowledge the little bit of pity he felt for the man, especially with his son. 

 

After Snowman passed, He started driving. Nothing exciting to see, aside from a dead animal on the side of the road that Tavros mentioned feeling bad for. Droog simply let the children argue out what was to be thought about the creature amongst themselves.

 

Parenting one child was easy, but, he realized, taking care of any child that wasn't his was three times as hard.


	5. Hospital Trips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diamonds Droog has recently taken a bullet to the leg. Aradia, who's now nearing the end of her semester, is taking it better than he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no, it's been so long. My apologies, but here it is.

He was hurt. 

Shot by a sniper, rushed to the hospital, and eventually, left in a room. Boxcars walked in with Aradia and Tavros and he offered his daughter a hand. 

She didn't look afraid. She wasn't scared for him. He sighed in relief as she crawled onto the bed rather than taking the hand. She sat on the edge of the bed and swung her legs. 

"Are you okay, Daddy?" 

"Yes, dear. I'll be okay, but I won't be home for a few days."

Boxcars began to leave the room with Tavros, muttering something about arrangements. Particularly, dinner for them. 

"Why not?"

"Well, I got hurt. Very badly. Remember when Tavros fell and broke his leg and he was in the hospital?" He hated to reference that. It worried Droog more than it worried Boxcars. That kind of pissed y him off. 

After all, the kids weren't even seven yet. First graders. Why wasn't he worried?

"Yeah! That was kinda scary!" She giggled. 

"It was. I was hurt kind of like that, except my arm."

She nodded and laid down, curling up to her father. "Then where am I gonna stay?"

"With Boxcars, sweetie. I'll be home soon, but until then you're with Tavros. Take good care of them, okay?"

A doctor knocked on the door, chuckling at the sight. He walked over. "Miss, it's time for you to go home."

She looked at her dad and kissed his forehead after she sat up, hopping off the bed. "Bye, Daddy! I love you!"


	6. Middle School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aradia is starting middle school, and yet again with Snowman's daughters. What a pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loooook. I wrote a brief Snowman. I'll be finishing this soon, any ideas?

He'd held her hand when he walked her up to the school. She was his daughter, and he was worried about her, of course. Middle school was a big transition. She was, after all, only eleven. He worried.

She looked up with her wide, brown eyes and hugged him before he could react. His baby girl was growing up. 

He kissed her forehead carefully, looking about the area. Children were moving about, reluctant to go to class. They seemed excited to see their pals and new school environment though. 

Snowman led Vriska and Terezi up, glancing at him. Oh heavens no.

"Aradia, dear, be careful. If you need help, ask your teachers and behave, okay?"

"Yes, Dad!" She beamed and moved away. Her black shirt and matching skirt were ironed and flawless, her flats accenting them perfectly. She was beautiful. He did love his daughter, he'd say that much.

She ran off, yelling to someone.

Snowman then approached him.

"Well, look at who brought his little princess to school," she cooed.

"You didn't even bid yours goodbye, at least I'm wishing Aradia the best," he spat.

This was going to be another long year.


End file.
